A processing system for processing a photosensitive flexographic printing plate having an aqueous-processable photopolymer. A main processing unit is used to develop a relief image by removing unexposed photopolymer using an aqueous processing solution including a first dispersing agent while the photosensitive flexographic printing plate is being subjected to mechanical cleaning. Used aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is returned back into a processing solution tank. A secondary processing unit is used to wash the developed relief image with secondary aqueous processing solution including a second dispersing agent to remove debris from the developed relief image. Used secondary aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is directed into the processing solution tank. A portion of the aqueous processing solution from the processing solution tank is removed to keep a volume of aqueous processing solution in the processing solution tank below a predefined maximum volume.

A processing system for processing a photosensitive flexographic printing plate having an aqueous-processable photopolymer. A main processing unit is used to develop a relief image by removing unexposed photopolymer using an aqueous processing solution including a first dispersing agent while the photosensitive flexographic printing plate is being subjected to mechanical cleaning. Used aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is returned back into a processing solution tank. A secondary processing unit is used to wash the developed relief image with secondary aqueous processing solution including a second dispersing agent to remove debris from the developed relief image. Used secondary aqueous processing solution containing the removed photopolymer is directed into the processing solution tank. A portion of the aqueous processing solution from the processing solution tank is removed to keep a volume of aqueous processing solution in the processing solution tank below a predefined maximum volume.

A finished flexo plate with printing dots and non-printing indicia. The printing dots have an elevation above the plate floor sufficient to transfer ink to a substrate in a printing step, whereas the non-printing indicia are configured for persistent readability relative to the plate floor but have a height relative to the plate floor insufficient to transfer ink to the substrate in the printing step. The non-printing indicia define a pattern of alphanumeric characters, non-text graphics, or a combination thereof, and are disposed on the plate floor in the form of areas of presence and absence of polymer defined by structures formed of microdots, each microdot having an elevation relative to the plate floor lower than a printing height.

A finished flexo plate with printing dots and non-printing indicia. The printing dots have an elevation above the plate floor sufficient to transfer ink to a substrate in a printing step, whereas the non-printing indicia are configured for persistent readability relative to the plate floor but have a height relative to the plate floor insufficient to transfer ink to the substrate in the printing step. The non-printing indicia define a pattern of alphanumeric characters, non-text graphics, or a combination thereof, and are disposed on the plate floor in the form of areas of presence and absence of polymer defined by structures formed of microdots, each microdot having an elevation relative to the plate floor lower than a printing height.

The present disclosure relates generally to signal encoding for flexographic printing plates. One aspect is a flexographic, photopolymer printing plate having transparent layers to allow encoded signal printed or laser ablated thereon to be detectable from both sides of the printing plate. Another aspect is a flexographic, photopolymer printing plate having an encoded signal formed in a photocured layer. Still another aspect is a system for tracking such printing plates, including managing location, print impression count, location tracking, etc. Other aspects are described as well.

The present disclosure relates generally to signal encoding for flexographic printing plates. One aspect is a flexographic, photopolymer printing plate having transparent layers to allow encoded signal printed or laser ablated thereon to be detectable from both sides of the printing plate. Another aspect is a flexographic, photopolymer printing plate having an encoded signal formed in a photocured layer. Still another aspect is a system for tracking such printing plates, including managing location, print impression count, location tracking, etc. Other aspects are described as well.

A method for fixing and treating a flexible plate on a drum includes: providing a flexible plate comprising a support layer made of a first material and at least one additional layer made of a second material which is different from the first material, wherein one or more thin film side wings are connected to one or more sides of the flexible plate. The one or more thin film side wings have a thickness which is at least 5 times smaller than the thickness of the flexible plate. The method further includes positioning the flexible plate on the drum such that the lower face of each thin film side wing of the flexible plate covers at least one vacuum suction opening, and performing a treatment on at least one layer of the flexible plate while rotating the drum.

The present invention relates to a laser-engravable flexographic printing original plate in which an increase in time required for entire surface curing is suppressed while benefiting from a decrease in plate surface tackiness due to blending of the silicone compound. A laser-engravable flexographic printing original plate obtained by irradiating a molded product made of a photosensitive resin composition with light so as to cross-link and cure the molded product, in which the photosensitive resin composition contains a water-dispersible latex, a photopolymerizable unsaturated compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a silicone compound having an amino group in the molecule. When the water-dispersible latex is selected from polybutadiene rubber and poly(nitrile-butadiene) rubber, the silicone compound has a refractive index of 1.44 to 1.60. When the water-dispersible latex is poly(styrene-butadiene) rubber, the silicone compound has a refractive index of 1.47 to 1.63.

The present invention relates to a laser-engravable flexographic printing original plate in which an increase in time required for entire surface curing is suppressed while benefiting from a decrease in plate surface tackiness due to blending of the silicone compound. A laser-engravable flexographic printing original plate obtained by irradiating a molded product made of a photosensitive resin composition with light so as to cross-link and cure the molded product, in which the photosensitive resin composition contains a water-dispersible latex, a photopolymerizable unsaturated compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and a silicone compound having an amino group in the molecule. When the water-dispersible latex is selected from polybutadiene rubber and poly(nitrile-butadiene) rubber, the silicone compound has a refractive index of 1.44 to 1.60. When the water-dispersible latex is poly(styrene-butadiene) rubber, the silicone compound has a refractive index of 1.47 to 1.63.

A mask element for flexographic printing can include: a substrate; a polymeric layer on the substrate and having a first infrared absorbing material; a non-silver halide thermally-ablatable imaging layer on the polymeric layer and having a second infrared absorbing material and an ultraviolet absorbing material in an thermally-ablatable polymeric binder; and a particulate-treated protective topcoat on the non-silver halide thermally-ablatable imaging layer and having a thermally-ablatable polymer containing inorganic particles of from about 0.25% to about 20% by dry weight of the particulate-treated protective topcoat. The inorganic particles include silicon dioxide or metal dioxide or combinations thereof. The inorganic particles can be thermally-ablatable particles, such as iron oxide, or be not thermally ablatable particles, such as silica, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or combinations thereof. the inorganic particles are present from about 0.5% to 10%. The inorganic particles have a size range from 0.05 microns to 1 micron.